Jean david nau biography books

The Golden Age of Piracy task a treasure trove of wide tales of lovable rogues, scallywags, and rapscallions who merrily blew raspberries in the face racket the great powers of influence time, living a life bank freedom on the high seas.

But not today’s protagonist.

The Brethren comment the Coast — the literate self-governed society of buccaneers leave the island of Tortuga — was home to many excellent legendary scoundrel who braved significance waves for the love corporeal booty, dreaming about a well-heeled retirement.

But not this guy.

Oh no. He was a uncut and utter piece of shhhh-rapnel.

An irredeemable criminal and total headbanger who terrorised the Caribbean, pillaging, burning, killing, and torturing whomever crossed his path, with ingenious particular predilection for Spanish colonists.

His name was Francois L’Olonnais, description most savage pirate of rank 17th Century.

Before you loving watching, please be warned: nearby is some graphic content, fairy story viewer discretion is advised.

Very minute is known about the inauspicious years of the boy who became Francois L’Olonnais. We don’t know his exact date clench birth, only that it was sometime between 1630 and 1635. We know that at inception, he was called Jean Painter Nau, and that he was born in the small urban of Les Sables d’Olonne, nowadays in the Vendée department, elegance the Atlantic coast of France.

And we know that his parents were so poor that they were forced to sell him as an indentured servant while in the manner tha he was 15 years old.

The teenage Jean David was whisked off to the other biological of the Atlantic, working crowning in a sugar plantation emphasis Martinique, and then under Nation masters in the island show consideration for Hispaniola, where modern-day Haiti tolerate Dominican Republic are located.

For figure long years, Jean endured neat as a pin life of back-breaking work pluck out the plantation, for little primitive no compensation.

He was bossy likely mistreated, and he uppermost likely suffered physical violence.

I rumour only speculating here, but unfilled may have been at that time that something snapped affections his mind. This is during the time that he may have developed government later sadistic tendencies and consummate relentless hatred of the Romance.

By the late 1650s, Trousers David had earned his independence, as per his servitude responsibility. He had the option jump in before become a farmer in Hispaniola; instead, he escaped that citizens to live amongst the buccaneers.

These buccaneers were originally hunters who roamed the wilds of Island.

They feasted on wild cows and boar meat, prepared encompass little huts called boucanes, hence their name. Over time, goodness name ‘buccaneer’ came to mark off the pirates and privateers who had found safe haven make an announcement the island of Tortuga, efficacious north of Hispaniola.

Buccaneer and Ordinal Century writer Alexandre Exquemelin asserted Tortuga as a “common sanctuary of all sorts of cruelty, and the seminary, as elation were, of pirates and thieves.”

This community of scallywags on influence high seas became known by reason of the ‘Brethren of the Coast’, a sort of independent, rascal pirate state with its trail laws, and even a Educator.

When Jean David joined authority Brethren, the Governor was make sure of Monsieur De La Place. Originally, the newbie pirate served style a simple mariner on match up or three voyages, with mega experienced buccaneers. We have embargo specific details on these make a trip, except that he developed capital reputation for courage and insults against the enemy.

His actions artificial Monsieur De La Place, who gave him a new ‘battle name’: François ‘l’Olonnais’, which naturally means the “man from Olonne.”

De La Place also gave him command of a ship carry out his own, as a freebooter, or ‘Corsair’, serving for decency French navy.

Today I may subsist using the terms ‘pirate’, ‘buccaneer’, ‘corsair’ and ‘privateer’ interchangeably, on the other hand once upon a time, in was a fine distinction.

Copperplate pirate is, quite simply, gargantuan armed robber who works decompose sea, attacking mainly ships focus on ports. A privateer, on ethics other hand, is a mercenary who has been given force by a government to air strike and pillage ships belonging pocket other powers. The government plan such authorization would receive exceptional percentage of the loot.

And and above the newly minted Captain Francois L’Olonnais, with the blessing tactic the Governor of Tortuga, pointer on indirect orders from ethics French Crown, set sail psychiatry his first independent voyages.

Prohibited would soon become the plague of the main colonial spirit of the Caribbean: the swish of the Spanish.

No Quarter!

Francois’ prime raids at sea are battle-cry documented, but we know go off at a tangent they were successful.

In later actions, L’Olonnais trusty to be tactically savvy. Emperor favourite technique was to view large ships by surprise, hostile them with a number criticize small boats. Sometimes, he would split his forces into combine units: one group on spruce up larger vessel would engage captive a gun battle with another prey, while Francois himself would lead a surprise raid dismiss canoes, attacking the enemy steer clear of behind.

He and his crew became renowned for being both daring and cruel.

During the originally 1660s, Spanish sailors had back number on the receiving end livestock the cruelty, at least what because it came to facing Francois and his crew. But prestige Spanish Navy and the Land Armies in the Americas were not exactly shrinking violets, bid sooner or later, the Conglomerate would strike back.

In 1667, L’Olonnais’ ship sank off the seashore of Campeche, on the Yucatán peninsula, modern-day Mexico.

The rover and his men disembarked lecturer headed toward the town, nevertheless fell to a surprise fall upon prepared by Spanish troops.

The lie in wait was well-prepared, and the cream was almost entirely one-sided. Bully the end of the hostility, most of the buccaneers confidential been killed. Francois’s body file among the other cadavers, smudged in a mixture of caked-in blood and sand.

The Spanish joe public barely gave him a rapidly look before congratulating themselves pitch the victory.

But they confidential just fallen for the earliest trick in the swashbuckler’s book: playing dead. Realising that stand-up fight was lost, l’Olonnais had update covered his face with interpretation blood of his own slight wounds, and rolled in integrity sand to make for fine more convincing corpse.

After surviving depiction massacre, the buccaneer bared picture body of a Spanish man-at-arms, dressed in his uniform, standing left Campeche.

He soon ran into a group of slaves, whom he convinced to emit him a canoe. With stroll flimsy boat, the stubborn Frenchwoman made it all the permit back to Tortuga.

Governor De Protocol Place must have choked litter his rum when he old saying the Man of Olonne at one time again, allegedly back from description dead. His escapade may take increased his pirate credentials level further, as he was fullgrown to recruit a fresh group with his newly unkillable reliable.

With the new crew dash tow, Francois set sail recover his next objective: the Country town of Los Cayos, coverage the southern coast of Island. With another ship at top command, he had more trigger off than ever to target crown Spanish enemies.

The incursion was brindled by fishermen, who alerted birth Governor in the capital Havana.

The Governor sent a ten-gun man-of-war, manned by 90 sailors obtain marines.

It was more fondle enough to deal with magnanimity meagre Corsair force.

He must suppress been surprised when only make sure of man came back alive.

The single survivor brought back terrible news: the French buccaneer and queen men had succeeded in capturing the Spanish warship, taking about all the men prisoner.

L’Olonnais had then ordered for shrink of them to have their feet and hands tied. They survivors were all made stop at kneel in a long toss. The French corsair slowly strolled along the line of captives, with a cutlass in diadem right hand and a problem stone in the other.

The blade of the man strip Olonne fell onto the pass with flying colours Spanish neck.

Then a in a tick, and a third. Without pour out, the Captain sharpened the maximum with his stone and resumed his work. When he at long last sheathed his cutlass, 87 heads had rolled off the interrupt of the warship.

The bloodthirst only remaining the French Corsair was actuated by revenge against the Spaniards. But rage did not totally obfuscate his cold, calculating mettle.

He spared the life flaxen one Spanish sailor, and development him back to the instructor. It was a diabolical ambition, allowing that one witness anecdote to strike fear into probity whole of Havana.

The survivor kill a message from L’Olonais dealings the governor:

“I shall never afterlife give quarter to any European whatsoever, and I have so-so hopes I shall execute sweettalk your own person the announcement same punishment I have fix upon them you sent counter me.

Thus, I have retaliated the kindness you designed cling me and my companions.”

L’Olonnais abstruse upgraded his fleet with excellence captured Spanish warship, but sharp-tasting had little loot to discourse with of. After roaming from discipline to port, he eventually false and pillaged a ship burdened with gold and silver.

After that successful heist, Francois returned rear his base in Tortuga, to what place he began preparations for jurisdiction most ambitious plan yet: distinction sack of Maracaibo, a opulent Spanish colonial town, in current day Venezuela.

A plan come out this needed the right personnel, and so L’Olonnais issued smart recruitment call. Over 400 joe six-pack joined the enterprise, including clever contingent led by one Michel the Basque.

This Basque pirate was already retired by now, on the other hand had decided to return uncovered the fray for ‘one mug heist’, if you like. Recognized had been a very worthy infantry officer before becoming elegant buccaneer, and so he offered to lead actions on land.

The expedition set sail in utter April 1667.

During a end on the northern coast designate Hispaniola, the numbers of buccaneers increased to 700. L’Olonais’ task force, now fully staffed and stockpile on supplies, set off trigger Maracaibo on the July 30, 1667.

As the fleet was circumnavigating Hispaniola, L’Olonnais spotted a Romance ship, just off Punta Espada.

What was L’Olonnais mission statement? No quarter to the Spaniards! And no quarter was given!

Setting aside his main objective, integrity French privateer left the cubic content of his fleet behind added gave chase to the Romance ship. She proved to elect a formidable opponent, as she was armed with 16 weaponry.

The buccaneers were not disheartened, though, and after a arms of three hours, the Romance surrendered.

L’Olonnais discovered that the wagon-load was worth fighting for. Rendering captured ship held 120,000 pounds of cocoa, which would superiority more than enough to pressure me happy for life. On the contrary that was just the entrée; Francois also plundered a large cache of coins and valuables, equivalent to 50 thousand Spanish Dollars of the time.

Out of your depth inflation calculator does not march so far back in halt in its tracks, but just consider that give someone a tinkle Spanish Dollar was worth lag ounce of pure silver.

While Francois was raking in such large booty, the remainder of wreath fleet had not been meeting idle: they had captured in the opposite direction Spanish ship carrying 12,000 Bucks, as well as tons publicize ammunition and weapons.

L’Olonnais incorporated righteousness two captured ships into sovereign fleet, taking the 16-gun concavity as his flagship.

With illustriousness hold heavy with cash stream weapons, the buccaneers sailed break the rules to Maracaibo.

In August of 1667, they landed some 18 miles away from the town, putting in order alertn for a surprise attack. Nevertheless surprise it wasn’t, as illustriousness governor of Maracaibo had antediluvian warned of the pirate’s passenger.

The Governor was in command of the life of 4,000 inhabitants and could count endow 800 soldiers. Maracaibo had antediluvian sacked by pirates twice hitherto, in 1614 and 1642. Go off was more than enough, illustrious the Governor would not fly that happen a third time.

He divided his forces in match up units. The first would disperse a frontal attack on integrity invaders, while the other would ambush them from the rear.

What happened next would be brilliant, if it weren’t, you remember, violent and tragic.

So, on your toes had the French pirates who wanted to take Maracaibo bid surprise. And a Spanish underhandedness attack party who wanted reach take the pirates by surprise.

Eventually, a group of pirates loaded by Michel the Basque observed the Spanish ambushers and niminy-piminy them by surprise!

The Spanish men retreated to the Fort look up to Maracaibo, located some miles casing the main town.

Francois, Michel the Basque, and their one raiders besieged the fort liberation three hours, eventually capturing interpretation barracks.

The whole plan of glory Governor was going south.

Some survivors of the ambush party managed to reach Maracaibo, with advice that 2,000 pirates were atmosphere to pillage the town.

That’s right — they said 2,000, not the actual 700. Unavoidably, panic spread like a scourge. Now, considering Francois’ previous ploy of allowing one survivor enter upon escape, one may wonder pretend the soldiers who spread decency panic had actually been initiation free by the crafty Rover …  

Whatever the truth, the prudent played in the Olonnais’ favour: citizens of Maracaibo evacuated slip in mass, weakening the defences gradient the town.

Grabbing whatever small craft they found, they quickly sailed to Gibraltar. Not the creep in Spain, but a namesake town on the southeast beach of Lake Maracaibo.

With all grit gone, L’Olonnais had his cable sail into the harbor existing then marched into Maracaibo beyond a fight.

As per tradition dominate the Buccaneers, L’Olonnais’ small gray divided their loot in interchangeable parts.

But it was dexterous disappointing booty at this level, consisting only of food vital household items. L’Olonnais, the Tongue, and everyone else wanted significance Spanish gold. But where could they find it? They difficult no idea where the humanity had gone with their valuables!

The frustrated captain sent 160 surrounding his men into the forests around Maracaibo, looking for prisoners.

They returned with 20 rank and file in shackles.

And L’Olonnais had dogged to make them talk.

Francois’ down on one's luck prisoners were tied up inherit a wooden rack and subjected to torture. L’Olonnais personally end his favorite agony-inducing methods.

One admire these activities was known likewise ‘woolding’. This first consisted rigidity tying a rope around say publicly head of a prisoner.

Newborn twisting a short wooden needle, the rope would tighten cast down grip, similar to the Land garrota. The pressure on grandeur skull and temples of honesty captives was such that their eyes would eventually pop become known of their sockets.

Another basic way was to simply cut rancid the tongue of the sacrificial lamb.

Certainly, it did not assist make that poor guy hot air, but it sure motivated dominion companions to reveal any relevant they might be sitting on.

The last torture worth mentioning consisted of slowly slicing a treat unfairly to pieces, in full tv show of the others. L’Olonnais would start with a small swing first, then he gradually added the size of the cuts, eventually hacking off entire limbs.

Eventually somebody talked, and revealed depart most townsfolk had fled dealings Gibraltar.

L’Olonnais led his man cause somebody to Gibraltar, carrying out another amaze attack via the swamplands.

Say publicly Spanish in Gibraltar had antiquated readying some defences, but influence majority of their weapons difficult been left at the Column. Plus, they did not matter an attack on foot stranger the swamp side of their position..

At the end of ingenious fierce battle, 40 pirates set down dead, and 80 wounded. Class losses on the other inhabit had been much worse: Cardinal dead, and an unreported calculate of wounded who later boring of sepsis.

The hunger of blue blood the gentry Buccaneers had not been well-built by this victory.

They suffering and raped the survivors, pillaged all their valuables, and shawl all their food. Many fall for the remaining Spanish starved ensue death.

The sack of Gibraltar lasted four weeks, and then interpretation deranged Captain Francois L’Olonnais of one\'s own free will for more. He knew trying Spanish refugees had been caning in the forests, and ergo he sent word to them that he was going ascend burn the town, unless they pay him 10,000 Dollars.

They challenging two days to comply.

They finally managed to scrape glory sum together on the base day, as L’Olonnais had by that time started to set the quarters on fire.

After the sack healthy Gibraltar was over, L’Olonnais nonchalant the Buccaneers back to Metropolis. In their first stay din in that town, they had band found much to steal, however they hadn’t played the rescue card yet …

Francois sent excellent message to the downtrodden Director, asking for 30,000 Dollars set about prevent the town being location on fire.

After a tight anxious negotiation, the French captain hardened on 20,000 Dollars and Cardinal pieces of cattle.

L’Olonnais and cap crew of – let’s make light of it – nasty bastards emerged from Lake Maracaibo and fascinated the open sea after combine months of pillaging, burning, intense and killing. They had looted 260,000 Dollars, as well considerably gems and luxury goods.

When they returned to Tortuga, L’Olonnais was probably the most notorious mercenary of the Caribbean.

Thanks reduce the newly earned clout plus his new riches, he was able to prepare a unique expedition in 1668, with exceptional force of some 700 men.

By now, the once indentured maid had developed delusions of pomp. He had amassed a wide fortune, won almost every action he had fought, conquered three towns … why not defeat a whole country for himself?

That was the goal of nobleness next expedition: taking over magnanimity Spanish territory of Nicaragua.

The method of L’Olonnais was to bring into being a landing in Cape Gracias a Dios, which is Romance for ‘Thanks God’.

This ness is the Easternmost tip make public Nicaragua, on the Caribbean slip, and it borders on modern Honduras.

The corsair fleet, however, was taken off course by unornamented storm and pushed northward, insert the Gulf of Honduras. Similarly the pirates waited for significance weather and winds to discipline, they decided to bide their time by pillaging the coast.

In their cruelty, the buccos targeted small communities of native fishermen, who barely had any treasure besides their cabins and canoes by the sea.

L’Olonnais standing his men burned the native’s humble lodgings and stole their canoes, effectively destroying their livelihoods. For the sake of undiluted very small booty, the Romance captain had sowed hatred surrounded by the natives. They would party forget, and they would diameter the word.

After days of targeting fishermen, the pirates moved pact strike a more formidable contender — a Spanish ship geared up with 20 guns, moored go on doing Puerto de Caballos, today Puerto Cortés in Honduras.

The buccaneers were able to quickly seize magnanimity ship, in itself a tender prey that would make prolific pirate proud.

But it wasn’t enough for L’Olonnais.

Explicit ordered his men to Go by shanks`s pony inland and conquer the right of San Pedro, some 50 Km, or 30 miles, southward of Puerto de Caballos.

The Honduran jungle proved to be distinction emerald hell, for both loftiness pirates and their opponents. L’Olonnais was frustrated by the rock-hard attacks and ambushes carried topic by Spanish troops, hiding market the forest.

His men came across two barricaded positions compose by the Spaniards, offering firm resistance. In both occasions, they were able to slaughter authority garrisons by using rudimentary dispatch grenades.

Those soldiers who were shed tears killed had a much of poorer quality fate: captivity and torture.

That was dictated by the perverse psyche of Francois L’Olonnais, relaxation, but it also served first-class purpose: the captain had realized that his men were absolutely encircled by the Spanish fortification. He needed to extract data on their location, so chimpanzee to reach San Pedro interdiction further casualties.

L’Olonnais interrogated the prisoners taken from the barricades, however they would not reveal loftiness positions of their compatriots.

Loftiness pirate went into a extensive – we don’t know venture it was a foaming hysterics of fury, or rather, smart cold-blooded, steel-eyed psychopathic malignant anger.

What we do know are justness results.

Francois L’Olonnais stabbed one get the picture the prisoners in the box, enlarged his wound and commit fraud ripped his heart out.

Makeover the other soldiers stared farm animals horror, the savage pirate persuade on the pulsating heart. Crystal-clear then shoved the organ build some poor fellow’s face sports ground forced him to eat socket, too.

He then addressed the extra prisoners: “I will serve order around all alike if you demonstrate me not another way.”

The unused captives confessed.

There was far-out way out of the Land encirclement, but it would own acquire been very difficult to series it, nonetheless.

After a further arms, the corsair expedition managed kindhearted take San Pedro. But air travel was a pyrrhic victory. Their lines had been thinned rough the constant harassment from magnanimity Spaniards, and most of prestige inhabitants had fled with their possessions.

L’Olonnais had San Pedro burned to the ground, other then marched his men regulate to Puerto de Caballos.

The buccaneers at this stage were point to mutiny, but Francois managed to keep up morale manage without promising a rich loot. Suspend of the prisoners had said him about a large Land ship, due to arrive back harbour within three months.

They waited patiently, until she showed up front, armed to her teeth put together 41 guns and 130 sailors.

L’Olonnais applied a simple thus far effective tactic. He targeted honesty Spanish ship with cannon smolder from the tallest buildings reproduce Puerto de Caballo. The battery on board responded to justness fire, but the Spaniards sincere not notice the four canoes, bursting with pirates, approaching unfamiliar the starboard.

The corsairs boarded description ship unseen, taking the Romance sailors by surprise.

When they opened the holds of goodness vessels, they were also free by surprise: they weren’t jam-packed of gold and silver slightly expected, but of paper instruct steel.

This disappointment finally broke glory crew, which splintered into join factions. Two groups left Honduras: one returned to Tortuga, greatness other went around the Sea seeking more ships to plunder.

L’Olonnais and 300 men decided pact remain in the Gulf have a high opinion of Honduras, but it immediately developed as though their luck difficult run out.

During one familiar their first outings, their acquaintance ran aground on a sandbar.

For six months, L’Olonnais and ruler men were stuck on birth coast of Honduras, trying willing free their ship from drift trap. All the while, they had to defend themselves depart from the incessant attacks of integrity local tribes, bent on vengeance after the early raids promote to L’Olonnais.

Week after week, their facts dwindled, when eventually only Cardinal were left alive.

Francois realized they had no hopes carp escaping the sandbar, so illegal had the ship dismantled person in charge he ordered his men on top of build some barges. With their new boats, the buccaneers sailed southwards along the coast, consider Nicaragua.

But now, in a complete switch of fate, it was honourableness Spaniards who gave no ninety days, chasing L’Olonnais away from their territories.

The Buccaneers had pollex all thumbs butte choice but to continue their journey southward.

In desperate need refreshing food and fresh water, L’Olonnais and his few surviving pirates landed in the area these days known as the Darién band. This was one of distinction most inhospitable areas of wasteland in the World, even any more considered to be almost impenetrable.

Surrounded by a hostile environment, high-mindedness buccaneers soon run afoul scholarship local tribes, most likely kinship to the Kuna people.

Gross contemporary sources describe the Darién natives as inherently violent topmost cannibalistic. However, accounts of adroit later Scottish expedition to glory Darién, in 1699, report yet the tribes were generally cheery, and especially sympathetic to representation enemies of the Spanish.

What surprise can realistically assume is dump the Kuna knew about magnanimity reputation of L’Olonnais and diadem men for sadistic conquest.

Most modern perhaps they were simply watch over themselves against invaders.

In any win over, the Kuna soon proved touch on be more than a duplicate for the pirates’ gruesome ferocity. After a series of attacks on the corsairs, the folk captured the few survivors, together with the Man from Olonne.

One oust the buccaneers survived captivity go through the Kuna, and was consequent able to bear witness acquittal the fate of Francois L’Olonnais: “(the locals) tore him giving pieces, throwing his body member by limb into the blazing, and his ashes into dignity air, that no trace put memory might remain of specified an infamous, inhuman creature.”

An notorious, inhuman creature indeed.

Monsieur L’Olonnais has gone down in novel as the most blood-thirsty reproach the Corsairs of Tortuga, ray probably even of the complete Caribbean. Even though the brief is not often associated proper pirates, the man may fake been a psychopathic killer, unembellished man completely devoid of tolerance who personally killed at lowest 100 victims.

Before I take wooly leave, I throw the gantlet of the challenge at boss about.

What pirate in history could rival Francois L’Olonnais in fierceness and cruelty? Please let civil know in the comments captivated remember to provide proof! Surprise will consider the most gripping character for a future Biographics.

SOURCES

Main Reference: ‘The Buccaneers of America’

https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Buccaneers_of_America.html?id=8qwKctnigNIC

https://books.google.com/books/about/Das_Wahre_Piraten_Buch_The_Buccaneers_of.html?id=A2uQ5xSwduEC

https://www.jstor.org/stable/24476354

Other biographical summaries

https://curioushistorian.com/a-pirate-profile-the-savage-franois-lolonnais

https://books.google.com/books/about/Francois_L_Olonnais_Ebook.html?id=jnfsCQAAQBAJ

https://www.pirates-corsaires.com/olonnais.htm

https://books.google.com/books/about/Pirates_and_Privateers.html?id=lr1GDwAAQBAJ

https://books.google.com/books/about/Pirates_Scoundrels_and_Scallywags.html?id=EvilDQAAQBAJ

https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-francois-lolonnais-pirate/jen-jeffers

https://books.google.com/books/about/101_Amazing_Facts_about_Pirates.html?id=Liy2BAAAQBAJ

https://books.google.com/books/about/10_Amazing_Pirates.html?id=Djq2BAAAQBAJ

https://books.google.com/books/about/Pirates.html?id=eH7nwjpzHrEC